Pokemon: Casdem Chronicles
by EclecticLion
Summary: In a different region called Casdem, Melanie Bates has turned ten and she leaves her hometown of Lontree. With her eevee by her side she'll embark on the journey of her young life. Who will she meet on the way? What memories will she make? Follow our heroine as she explores and experiences the world of Pokemon! (OC, will NOT be accepting anymore OCs at this point and time)
1. The Journey Begins!

**REVISED VERSION!**

**whaddup, readers? Welcome to the region of Casdem! This story is, as aforementioned, the revised version of Casdem: A Pokemon Journey and if you want to compare the two you're welcome to but, let me just say, I'm very much happy with _this_ version than I am with _that_ one but, do as you please!**

**Hope you enjoy! :D**

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I woke up to my alarm going off on my nightstand. I slapped the snorlax shaped alarm on the head and effectively stopped the mechanical snoring that was blaring through its mini-speakers. If it wasn't so good at waking me up I would've thrown it out of my window by now.

Sunlight streamed through my window as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I blinked against the light and slipped out of bed, stretching all the while.

Today was the day.

It was my tenth birthday and I could finally go on my own pokémon journey. It was the only thing on my mind for the past month, not to mention the only thing I talked about, well known to my parents.

With a final stretch of my arms I shuffled towards my closet. I was reminded that I still had to finish my packing when I saw my bag lying on the floor.

"Ugh, I really need to do that," I murmured as I looked over the hangers of shirts and jackets. The same went for my outfit; I hadn't quite decided on what to wear yet. Finally, after a back and forth between three outfits, I decided to go with the simple one and grabbed a plain black v-neck from its hanger along with a purple sweater. A matching pair of black and purple shoes sat at the bottom of my closet for later.

I grabbed a pair of blue jeans from my dresser and changed out of my pajamas and into the stack of clothes tucked under my arm. I zipped up my sweater, decided against it and unzipped it, then stood in front of my mirror on the back of my door.

I wasn't quite sure that I felt any older than a few weeks ago, but I must've looked a little older at least. My mom was always saying how sophisticated I appeared for my age.

"You know, I think I do look older," I said proudly to myself. My smile broadened, but as I turned to the side I cocked my head with an annoyed pout.

"Still as flat as a board though," I muttered to my mirror-self. It's not that I was complaining and I _was _still young, but it sure would've made me look much older if I had _something_. With a sigh I grabbed my brush and ran it through my long brown hair, staring at my face. Naturally thin eyebrows were stroked above my round eyes, a small nose adorned the middle of my face, and my light skin was often free of any blemishes. I could smile a little again. "Well, at least I got _most_ of mom's feminine genes." Adults would often gush gleefully about how much I looked like my mother. I considered it the best compliment there is because my mom is the most beautiful woman I know. Don't get me wrong, I love my dad, but his square-ish head and larger-than-normal nose wouldn't quite fit my small frame. Although, one thing I am glad I got from him are his deep blue eyes.

With a final stroke of my brush I pulled my hair into a high ponytail with my long bangs framing my face. I inhaled deeply and let out a long breath. Today, a new story of my life was going to unfold and I couldn't wait. I nodded affirmatively to my reflection and turned the door knob.

Opening the door, a warm wave of breakfast smells wafted from the kitchen downstairs. My mouth watered at the smell of blueberry pancakes and maple syrup. My mom was always the first up and never failed to make breakfast every Sunday. The scraping of pans moving on the stove could be heard from the kitchen.

I walked down the stairs and could see her working at the stove. Her hair was up in a messy bun and a faded pink apron was tied around her waist over a summery yellow dress. Her back was turned to me as she finished her cleaning at the stove and moved to the sink to wash the dishes.

When I entered the kitchen, she looked over her shoulder and smiled warmly.

"Happy birthday, sweetie," she greeted.

"Thanks, mom," I said with a smile. She moved in for a hug and I took in her smell of fresh blueberries and batter. After a moment she pulled back and held me at arm's length, looking me over with a motherly eye. "Ten years old! Do you feel any different?"

"I feel like me," I laughed. "I don't know. I'm hoping this feeling older thing will kick in later." I waved away the subject and she nodded.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I think you look very sophisticated, sweetie."

She had already made some pancakes and slid the plate my way before turning back to the sink. I grabbed a pancake from the plate and opened my mouth wide.

"Oh, and use a fork please," she added without turning around. "That's why it's on a plate."

The pancake flopped over inches from my opened mouth. I shut it and dropped the pancake back on my plate. There really was no getting past my mom for anything, especially bad table manners. I grabbed the fork beside me and cut the pancakes with the side of the fork, too hungry to get a knife.

"Did you sleep okay?" she asked glancing back over her shoulder briefly.

Between bites I answered, "Yeah, I slept all right."

"Melanie, do you have to talk with your mouth full?" she asked in that motherly tone.

"Oops," I mumbled as bits of pancake flew out of my mouth. "Oops," I muttered again as even more flew out. I decided it best to shut my mouth and I stood up to get a napkin.

"So," she continued. "Are you excited about leaving for your journey?"

"Yeah, it's all I can think about," I answered with a laugh. I wiped my mouth clean and swiped the table with a swift motion. I threw out the napkins as she nodded.

"That's good," she said to herself. There was a short pause and then she put down her wash towel and turned around to face me, her hands resting on the edge of the sink. She gave me a stern yet gentle look as I sat back down. "Now, of course, a pokémon journey is a very exciting thing. But you have to be smart out there. Your father and I can't be there next to you but, we support you every step of the way. I know you wouldn't go and do reckless things or make bad decisions, but if you do you can learn from mistakes and do better next time. We won't love you any less if you make a mistake, I hope you know that." I smiled and nodded as I chewed another bite. As touching and inspiring as her speech was she'd been giving it to me the past few days now.

"Now, the most important thing," she continued barely pausing, "is that you stay safe." She was so caught up in her speech she was now pacing back and forth, talking to herself more than anything. I chuckled and swallowed my last bite of pancake. "I know you're a smart girl and you can handle yourself out there. But, remember that you always have to—"

"Be careful," I finished for her. She stopped and blinked as if coming out of a trance. Then she chuckled, realizing she was rambling just moments ago.

"Yes, careful. I know you know about pokémon through your dad, but that doesn't mean you don't have to be careful."

"Mom, trust me. I'll be careful, I promise," I assured her confidently.

A faint smile crossed her face, although it conflicted with her slightly saddened eyes. It only lasted for a second though before her face lit up with a grin and she nodded.

"I know you will, dear," she said slowly turning back to the dishes.

It must be hard for her to let her only daughter go but, dad had his full confidence in me. In the end, he helped balance out the concerns she had. I was gazing out of the kitchen window when I suddenly realized something.

"Hey, where's dad anyway?"

"Oh, he said he had to help out at the Park really quick."

I frowned. "He went to the Park? He'll be back before I leave, right?"

"Yes. He promised he would be," she said with a reassuring smile. I returned the smile.

My dad was the manager at our local Pokémon Park down the road. It was his job to handle the care of the pokémon and, well, manage everything. His favorite thing to do was tend to the pokémon there. He loved watching them and could often lose track of time when he was working but, if there was one thing I knew about my dad it was that he never broke a promise.

"Are you all set for tonight?" mom asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I scratched the back of my neck. "Um, yeah," I answered uneasily. She nodded and I added quickly, "As soon as I finish packing my bag."

"Oh, Melanie," she started. She turned from the sink and I shrank in my seat, poking my empty plate with my fork. "Why didn't you finish before today?"

"Um, I was too excited?" I offered.

"Nice try." She pointed upstairs and said, "Go finish your packing. I'll clean up down here."

"Okay." I pushed my dirtied plate away from me and stood up.

I jogged up the stairs and into my room. I grabbed my bag from my closet and set it on my bed. The task was already half done since I already packed everything besides my clothing. My mom had bought me my jacket and, no matter what I said, insisted I take money from her for emergencies. I had really wanted to use my own money, but she had insisted that I take it. That was tucked inside my bag that my dad had gotten me along with the other supplies he provided; some matches, a collapsible cooking pot, and a new sleeping bag. I had bought myself a pair of black sneakers, a water bottle, granola bars, and a few pokéballs that sat at the bottom of my bag. I laced my sneakers up and put my own extra money in my pocket. I didn't have much to begin with so I was surprised that I still had some left over.

I rummaged through my closet again and grabbed another v-neck, jeans, and everything else I needed before folding them and setting them in the bag. So, taking into account everything I bought and adding on my extra clothes, my over-sized green camping bag was just half full. It was square, big, and really meant for rough camping. Not to mention it wasn't the prettiest thing to wear on a girl's back.

The bag I _really_ wanted was the newest trainer's bag from Santeal City's Derek Marquee, youngest designer and millionaire in the history of our region. He's almost always featured in Trainer Talk Weekly for his trainer apparel and accessories. The issues with him in it usually sold fast considering he was one of the top teen heart-throbs in Casdem. I know most girl's my age just buy his merchandise because it's from him, but I think his line of trainer gear is actually very practical. But, it was because of the fact that so many girls drooled over him that the Marquee line of trainer's apparel was so high on demand and "extremely and irrationally expensive" in my dad's words. So that's how I ended up with a monster of a bag that "could hold food to last me a year", again in my dad's words.

I attached my sleeping bag to the top of my bag and set it on the floor. I sat on my bed and sighed as I looked around my room. It hadn't dawned on me until that moment how much I was going to miss sleeping in my own room in my own house, waking up every Sunday to the smell of breakfast, and visiting my dad down at the Pokémon Park. There were no kids my age in Lontree and the next town was a long walk to make friends over there. My parents were really all I had and I was leaving them just like that.

My vision became blurry and a tear rolled down my cheek.

"Pull yourself together, Melanie," I said to myself. I wiped at my cheek with my sleeve and inhaled deeply. From downstairs I heard the front door open and close.

"Where's my birthday girl?" my dad asks, his bright voice carried throughout the house. I let out my breath in a laugh and headed for the stairs.

"Dad!" I said cheerfully. He was standing, still in the green ranger uniform, at the doorway with my mom, his blonde hair hidden beneath his ranger cap and his glasses crooked as always. He looked to the stairs with his signature wide smile.

"Manilla! Happy birthday, honey!" I ran over to him and he pulled me up into a hug. He swung me back and forth before setting me back on the floor.

"Thanks, dad."

"So, are you ready to go?" he asked adjusting his glasses.

"Yep, I'm all set."

"Well, than what are we waiting for?" he asked jovially. "You want to get to the next town before nightfall, right? Go get your stuff, honey. We got to get you on the road!" He emphasized a few of his last words with claps, animated as usual.

"'Kay!" I ran to the stairs and took them two at a time. When I got to my room I quickly shouldered my bag and opened the door to leave, stopping just before I stepped out.

_'This is my last time seeing this room for awhile,' _I thought to myself. I glanced wistfully around the room and then chuckled at my own childishness.

"Come on, it's just a room," I said before I shut the door with a click. I stood in the hallway for a second before opening the door and walking back into the room to my bed. My nightstand stood beside the far side of my bed and I crawled over it to grab the snorlax alarm clock.

"Doesn't hurt to have a few keepsakes," I said to myself, tucking the clock safely into my bag.

I ran back down the stairs with my bag clonking against my back with each step. I pulled tighter on the straps before I jumped the last two steps and turned the corner into the front room.

"Okay, I'm ready," I announced walking in. I stopped a few steps away from my parents who were standing in front of the door. It wasn't them I was staring at, though. I was staring at the large cardboard box sitting in front of them with air holes poked all around it. A bright red bow was stuck at the top of the lid with a tag that had my name neatly scribbled on it, the work of my mom.

I was literally speechless.

"Happy birthday, Melanie!" they said at the same time. Then I grinned from ear to ear and looked at my parents in surprise.

"Are you serious?"

"Melanie, it's your birthday! You didn't think we didn't get you a present, did you?"

Honestly, that was exactly what I thought. We always weren't that set money-wise and besides, my journey was gift enough. I never would've thought they would get me a pokémon!

"Wow, I just—I mean—Oh, my gosh, thank you!" I stammered out before collapsing onto my knees in front of the box.

"You're very welcome," my mom laughed.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's see what's inside while it's still your birthday," my dad teased. He pulled my mother into a side hug and they both smiled down on me.

What type was it? Was it a male or female? I couldn't hold back my curiosity any longer. I scooted over to the box and carefully lifted the lid an inch.

From inside a tiny little nose nudged through the opening, sniffing the air. I lifted the lid the whole way and gasped. No way.

Inside sat a little brown fox pokémon who was staring up at me with big brown eyes.

"Uee?" it purred.

"It's an eevee," I said softly, lifting it out of the box. I placed it in my lap as it tilted its head to the side and purred out its name. I tilted my head with it much to the little fox's amusement. It righted its head and purred cheerfully.

"Glad you like him!" my mom said with a wide smile.

"He's so cute! Where did you get him?"

"The other rangers and I found this little one wandering in one of the back fields," my dad explained. "Eevee are hard to come by as it is and the Park doesn't have pokémon like him. It's hard to believe someone would just leave one out on its own." He paused and shook his head like he still couldn't believe it. He took off his hat and scratched the top of his head. "So, the other rangers and I put up a notice and waited for someone to call in. I was surprised but, no one ever called. That was about four weeks ago and who knew how long he was walking around in the park before then."

I looked down at the eevee who was licking his front paw like a kitten. How could anyone abandon this little guy?

"So," he continued. "Everyone agreed we had waited long enough and something had to be done with the eevee. Being the manager, it was my responsibility to decide." He smiled warmly and pushed his glasses farther up his nose. "I told them that this young pokémon needed a kind young trainer who we know will take excellent care of him." He smiled down at me and I beamed with pride.

I looked back down at the little brown fox and he looked up at me and purred happily.

"Uee!"

"He seems to like you already," my mom pointed out with a smile.

"Of course he does. It's a perfect match! I knew that right from the start!" My dad added throwing his hands in the air. He smiled brightly and clapped his hands together before asking, "So, are you going to name him?"

Should I name him? I stared into his brown eyes while I mulled the thought over. Then it hit me.

"I think I'll name him Fen," I decided with a nod.

"Uee!"

"That's wonderful, sweetie."

"It fits him well," my dad added. He glanced at his watch and pulled his arm back from around my mom's shoulders to rub his hands together. "Well, it looks like you and Fen should take off soon."

"Yeah," I agreed standing up. Fen hopped off of my lap and stretched.

My dad smiled sadly and opened his arms for a hug. I wrapped my arms around him and he lifted me up again rocking me one more time. He set me down and I turned to my mom and hugged her swaying gently back and forth. Fen looked at our little hugging circle with a tilt of his head. When we were done I stepped back and smiled sadly.

"We love you, Melanie," my dad said. He draped his arm around my mom's shoulders again.

"I love you both, too."

"Remember that you can come back anytime you need to, sweetie." She fixed my bangs and went to straightening my shirt and sweater. "And be sure to call us when you reach Calden," my mom added with a slightly concerned look.

"Oh, that reminds me!" my dad said slapping a hand to his forehead. He reached in his back pocket and pulled out a folded pamphlet, handing it to me.

"What is it?"

"One of the other rangers heard about this professor who lives in Calden. He specializes in the study of pokémon." He shrugged his shoulders as if saying 'why not?' "It could be a good place to start."

"Oh, cool! Thanks. I'll check it out when I get there," I said tucking the folded white pamphlet into my pocket.

"But don't forget to call when you _do_ get there," my mom reminded again.

"Oh, let her be," my dad said waving the subject away. He placed a hand on my shoulder and ruffled my hair with the other. "Don't worry about us, Manilla. We'll be fine."

My mom looked at my dad with furrowed eyebrows. "Yes, but I'd still like to hear from her."

"She'll be fine! There's nothing to worry about!"

"I know, but—"

"Guys," I said before either of them could say anything else. They both looked at me. "I'll call you when I get to Calden. After that, I'll get in touch with you every now and then, okay?"

"That's fine," my dad said with a smile. My mom looked less agreeable.

"Mom?"

"Well… okay, but don't forget to call when you reach Calden, okay?" she said in a rush. My dad and I chuckled.

"I won't."

"Well, now that that's settled," my dad said with a laugh. "You've got to get going!"

"Right!" I said. I pulled my bag straps downward and turned to open the front door. "Bye," I said over my shoulder heading outside. Fen was right at my heels as I walked down our front steps. My parents followed me to the steps and watched as I walked down the pathway to the dirt road.

"Bye, Manilla! Have fun!" my dad called excitedly, waving his hand high in the air.

"_Safe _fun!" my mom quickly added.

"There's no other way to do it!" I joked. My dad laughed and my mom couldn't help but chuckle. "Bye!" I called out again. I waved until I turned a corner and couldn't see them anymore. I stuck my hand in my jeans pocket and looked around at the open scenery of Lontree; the tress dotted here and there, the surrounding green hills, the meadows and fields that seemed to roll on forever.

I sure was going to miss this place.

Fen walked alongside me and looked up at me expectantly, for what I didn't know.

"I have to admit. I'm a little nervous," I said glancing down at him. "From this point on, we're on our own. I mean, what do you think will happen from here?"

He blinked up at me than turned his head forward. His face lit up as he saw a little patch of flowers up ahead. "Uee! Ueevee!" He yipped cheerfully and trotted ahead to smell the wildflowers growing alongside the road.

I smiled and shook my head. Maybe I should act more like him. We'll never know what lies ahead.

We should just enjoy it while it comes.

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**Next chapter is just a click away! :D**


	2. New Face, New Town!

**Hello, readers! Well, I'm awfully embarrassed that it's been almost a month since I've updated this and I feel bad, trust me. I've spent the last two hours stitching the parts I had already finished together and promised myself I'd get it in before sweet sweet sleep!**

**And apologies are in order for the late late late update but, and I hate making excuses, I have been so busy with work and I tried my hand at a different genre on this site and the chapters were just coming so fast I could barely stop! I felt so bad at the same time because I was writing that story knowing this was on hold for so long! D:**

**Anyways, I'm sorry for the hold up and this chapter is basically a 'setting up' kind of chapter but, I hope it doesn't disappoint!**

**Enjoy!**

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"Well, this is it," I whispered to myself. I stood at the very edge of town and stared out at the dirt road stretching ahead of me. Fen stood at my side and swished his fluffy tail back and forth as I looked to my right at the route sign. It was an old wooden board nailed to a post that had 'Route 1' scrawled across it. On the other side were the words 'Lontree Town' written in the same faded lettering. We really should replace the sign or at least fix it but, we didn't get many visitors anyway so it's not like it really mattered. Besides, we had other priorities. The Pokémon Park and the farm with all of the crop fields were what were most important.

I ran my hand over the worn wood and glanced over my shoulder at my hometown. As much as I didn't want to think about the family, home, and life I was leaving behind in fear of becoming too homesick, at the same time I never wanted it to leave my mind. I was representing my hometown and I couldn't ever forget that.

With a determined look, I took a deep breath and stepped onto Route 1 with Fen for the first time. I paused before taking another step and smiled. Fen looked up at me quizzically and tilted his head.

"We just took our first official steps of our journey," I explained, bubbling with excitement. It didn't truly sink in until that moment that I was about to do what I had been dreaming about for what seemed like forever.

I was buzzing with excited anticipation and it filled me with a warm kind of energy, like I could run for miles and never stop. That was when I spotted a tree overhanging the route in the distance and an idea popped into my head. I looked down at Fen with an eyebrow raised playfully.

"How about a race? First one to that tree wins," I said pointing out the tree. Fen followed my finger to the tree and looked back at me with his eyebrows creased in determination and an eevee smile on his furry face.

"Uee!"

"Alright, then! On your marks," I said tightening my ponytail. Fen knelt closer to the ground, ready to run off at any second.

"Get set." I bent my knees and Fen flicked his tail with anticipation. I waited a second longer.

"… go!" I pushed off and ran forward but, Fen was already ahead of me by a long shot. He almost looked like a buneary the way he was bounding forward and I smiled, pumping my legs faster.

"No fair!" I called out after him. "You have four legs!"

He just kept on running and I snuck a glance behind me. The town was drifting farther and farther away and I tried to keep my smile on my face.

_"Don't worry, mom and dad," _I thought to myself. _"I won't let you or Lontree down."_

"Uee!" Fen called from up ahead. He was sitting not too far ahead, his tail swishing playfully.

"Okay, now you're just teasing me!" I said between breaths. He smiled and purred before hopping up and taking off for the tree again.

"I demand a rematch after this!"

When I finally reached the tree, Fen was already there and lying comfortably in a patch of flowers. I leaned against the tree and took time to catch my breath before slinging off my bag to get my canteen.

"Okay, maybe we can forget about that rematch thing," I said with a laugh. Fen stretched out in response and settled in with his head on his front paws. I slumped against the tree and slid down onto the ground, ready for a nap myself. I took a few gulps of water and poured some into my cupped hand, offering it to Fen. He took a few laps of it before he yawned and curled his fluffy tail around him.

I wiped my hand on my jeans and leaned against the tree with a sigh. It couldn't hurt to rest for a little while. It was still daylight out and Fen was already half asleep anyway, how could I wake him up? I capped the canteen and tossed it back into my bag. I set the green monster beside me and pulled my hood over my head before settling back against the tree.

I could feel something beneath me where I was sitting and I adjusted my position until I realized it was in my pocket. Then I remembered the pamphlet my dad had gotten me and pulled it out, unfolding the multiple pages until I was holding a long length of creased paper. The front had a picture of a white, blocky building that I wasn't surprised was the lab. It sure looked like one with its sharp angles and modern qualities. I looked at the other pages, skimming over the reading.

One of the pages had a picture of a middle-aged man with brownish blonde hair combed neatly back from his face. He had on a brown sweater vest covered by a white lab coat. Thick black-rimmed glasses rested over his dark eyes. Aside from what I would've initially thought, his dark eyes didn't take away from the aura of kindness he gave off, even in a picture. His smile was crooked and laugh lines could be seen around his eyes.

I smiled looking at the picture. He looked really nice. I should take up my dad on his advice and see him for some tips or something before leaving Calden.

I started to skim over the rest of the reading about the Professor and his facility but, before I knew it, the paper drifted from my grasp and onto the ground as I fell sound asleep.

* * *

The gentle tune of kricketot stirred me from my nap and I rubbed the sleep from my eyes with a yawn. I licked my dry lips and blinked the last bits of sleep from my eyes. Everything around me was painted with an orange glow and I thought for a second how pretty everything looked when something suddenly dawned on me.

Kricketot chirping? Orange glow?

I scrambled to get up from my sleeping position and looked to the sky. The sun wasn't above us anymore and was instead sitting on the distant hills, burning a deep orange. I threw my hands to my head and pulled my hood down over my eyes.

"Ah! What time is it? How long have I been sleeping!?" I threw my hood off and frantically grabbed my bag from the ground and slung it onto my back. I knelt down in front of Fen and gently shook his little body.

"Fen, buddy. We've got to get going! It's going to get dark soon," I said urgently. I hadn't even worried about being caught in the dark because we had so much time ahead of us. I really should have gotten more sleep last night instead of staying up thinking about my journey the next morning.

Fen yawned and stretched his front paws like a meowth.

"Good! Now, come—"

He plopped back down again and curled his tail in toward himself once more. I sighed and couldn't help but smile a little.

"Fine, you can get some more rest but, I'm going to keep walking," I said tossing my hood back and lifting him up gently. I set him on my shoulder and he slid backwards right into the pocket formed by my hood. He stirred from his sleep ad adjusted himself within it, his front paws resting on my shoulder with his head nestled between them.

"I'll let you know when we get to Calden," I whispered, patting his head.

I set out for the next town with quick steps and a set jaw. Setting up camp on my first day out wasn't what I had in mind. I imagined my first solo camping experience to be in a forest or deep in the woods, not in an open field just outside of my town.

I hurried my steps but was sure not to run so I didn't wake Fen up. The road stretched on ahead, seeming to never get any shorter as I fast walked on and on. I was considering running and just tightening my hood to keep Fen still when a flock of starly shot up from the fields to my left and screeched frantically, frightened from their early slumber. I glanced over from where they flew for a second then turned forward again and quickened my pace a bit.

The flock of starly flew by directly above me and for some reason their frantic calls, the beating of their tiny wings, and the dwindling amount of daylight all put me on edge. I quickened my pace even more, now at a slow jog, and pulled my hood straps tighter. From behind me I heard a loud rustling in the grass. I kept my eyes trained forward and tried to ignore the sound.

"Nothing's there," I murmured to myself. The sun rays were nearly gone, dark nearly settled in, and I continued to tell myself this in my head.

As the rustling sound got really close my curiosity got the better of me. I looked over my shoulder, ready to sprint, just as someone burst from the grass and stumbled onto the road. He rested his hands on his knees and dropped his head, trying to catch his breath. His breathing was hard and sweat made his waves of dirty blonde hair cling to his forehead. What would otherwise be a nice outfit of khakis with a white sports jacket was ruined by the fact that it was coated in dirt and had gaping scratches in various places. He looked oddly familiar but, I pushed the thought away and slowed down to a stop.

I looked at the boy with concern and asked, "Are you okay?"

He quickly turned his attention to me and looked at me with bright green eyes. Oddly, they were concerned just like mine.

"Oh, jeez. Um," he looked into the grass he had come from and turned back to me. "Uh, you might want to get out of here."

I looked back at him with my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I opened my mouth to ask 'why' when a low buzzing vibrated through the air.

"No time to talk! We got to go," he said urgently. He ran forward and quickly caught my wrist in his hand before I could do anything. I stumbled forward and used my free hand to clutch to both of the tightening strings from my hood, Fen amazingly still asleep within it.

"Wait, what's going on?" I asked between breaths once I was able to match his running pace. He looked over his shoulder and I did the same. In the distance there was a dark buzzing cloud heading straight for us. There were so many I didn't believe what I was seeing.

"Um, is that a—?"

"Beedrill swarm?" he finished my question for me. I turned my head to look at him with an expression somewhere along the line of disbelieve and fear. He just turned his attention forward and nodded. "Yep."

The buzzing became louder and I glanced back at the swarm. They were gaining on us fast and I could see the large sword-like stingers gleaming with the last light of the day. Panic rushed through me and I looked to the boy frantically.

"Any ideas?"

"We're doing it."

I thought this over for a second and guessed lamely although it was pretty obvious. "Run?"

"Ding ding! We've got a winner," he said with a wink. How could he joke around in a situation like this? Did he not see how many were after both of us? And I didn't even have anything to do with this! I narrowed my eyes at him and yanked my wrist from his hand.

"Follow me," I said shortly before sprinting ahead. I caught his slightly bewildered expression as I ran by him but I heard his steps speed up to stay with me.

A line of trees was fast-approaching and the woods would provide more cover than the open and flat road. I veered off into the thicket of trees once I was close enough and I heard the boy exclaim in surprise.

"What are you doing?!"

"Getting cover!" I called back.

The sun was long gone and I weaved through the trees by the pale blue moonlight that was beginning to shine down from the sky. I jumped over a fallen log and once I landed I could feel Fen jolt awake.

"Uee?" he purred beside my face with a confused expression.

"There's been a slight delay, Fen," I said jumping over another fallen log.

"You can't see where you're going in here!" The boy shouted when he caught up with me.

"Neither will they!" I countered. At least, I hoped they wouldn't.

The boy seemed to chew this thought over and I used the moment of silence to listen for the beedrill. It was still too loud though with the crunching leaves and twigs snapping under our feet that I couldn't tell if they'd gotten closer or not. I was about to look behind me when I was suddenly tackled at the side by the blonde boy.

Fen hopped deftly out of my hood and landed safely on the ground before I was pinned onto my back by the boy. My bag softened the fall but, I scowled at him nonetheless and tried to push him off of me.

"What do you think—?"

"Shush, be quiet," he whispered putting a finger to his lips.

"You don't tell me—"

He clasped a hand over my mouth and slowly pointed to the trees nearby. I looked over and my eyes widened in fear.

Not twenty feet away was a huge sleeping ursaring on its back, hidden partially by the thick foliage. It's huge hairy belly rose up and down and I could see the yellow circle adorning it. The boy removed his hand and I noticed Fen not too far away, looking in the direction of the ursaring.

Fen lowered slowly to the ground, his hunches raised. I shifted from underneath the boy and grasped Fen around his belly, bringing him close to my chest.

"Don't even think about it," I whispered into his warm fur.

Now that we weren't moving I could hear the buzz of the beedrill swarm getting louder. The boy pressed against me, trying to get as low as he could without moving too much. I could hear them getting dangerously close and I buried my face into Fen's fur, shutting my eyes tight.

The swarm flew right over us in a hair-raising wave of buzzing and beating wings, straight for the direction of the sleeping ursaring. Time seemed to slow and I curled into myself, knowing what was coming and not being able to do anything about it. The boy's hands quickly shot to my head and covered my ears and, for once, I was relieved he was there.

A deafening roar filled the woods and practically shook the ground as the ursaring was met with the stingers of beedrill upon beedrill. The ursaring shot up and the sound of snapping branches and claws tearing through the earth still reached my ears despite the hands covering them. I heard the buzzing of the beedrill grow quieter over the wild ursaring's roars as they took off in surprise and fear of being attacked. The large hairy pokémon rampaged around, snapping more branches and throwing itself into the nearby trees. It roars made my spine tingle and fear coursed through my veins. Even if I could move from under the boy, I probably would be too paralyzed from fear to move at all.

After what seemed like forever the wild ursaring gradually rampaged farther and farther away until I heard a single snort and the sound of paw after paw on the ground, the steps growing farther and farther away. Throughout the whole ordeal, the boy had kept his hands clamped over my ears and now that we were out of any immediate danger, anger came back to replace the fear that was coursing through me.

I clutched Fen to my chest with one hand and forcefully pushed the boy off of me with the other. He rolled onto his side with a grunt and sat up in a half-daze. I set Fen down and sat up, glaring daggers at him.

"We could've been killed! What were you thinking?!"

He looked at me in complete surprise but, quickly gained his composure and glared back at me.

"What are you talking about?! _You're _the one who said to go in here in the first place!"

Crap, he had me there. I grit my teeth and spat back, "Well, _you_ dragged me into this death chase in the first place!"

"What, you would rather have me just leave you there to fend for yourself?"

"I _can_ take care of myself!"

At this he stood up with his arms crossed. "Fine, take care of yourself then." He turned away in a huff and thrust his hands into his pockets. "You're welcome, by the way."

I opened my mouth to snap back at him when I realized something. He had just saved me from that swarm _and_ that ursaring and that was how I gave my thanks? What would my parents say about that? I swallowed and raised my hand for him to stop.

"W-wait! Hold on a second!"

He stopped but didn't turn around. At least I knew he was listening though.

"L-look, I'm sorry. Thank you for helping me earlier and just now. I just… I guess this just wasn't what I hoped my first day from Lontree would be like…"

I could feel the sting of tears about to fall but, I held them back with all of the strength I could muster. Fen padded over and sat next to me, a paw resting on my knee. The boy turned his head slightly and I swallowed before speaking again.

"I was just… a-angry, I guess. I blamed you fro all of this because deep down… I didn't want this to be my fault… But, it is isn't it?" I paused and shook my head. "How am I going to get by the rest of my journey if I can barely handle getting to the first town? If it wasn't for you I'd be… I'd be—"

A tear slid down my cheek and I quickly brushed it away. At the same time a hand rested on my shoulder and I looked up to see the boy kneeling in front of me. I didn't even notice he'd moved.

He smiled crookedly and his green eyes shone. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this situation at all. I was the one leading that swarm, not you. You just happened to get caught in it."

I looked at my hands in my lap. "But, because of _me_ we ran into that—"

He held up his hands with palms facing upward as if to say 'who cares'? "Hey, It happened and we can't do anything to change it. Why don't we just move forward and be thankful we got out of that in one piece?"

Then he extended a hand toward me and I blinked at him in surprise.

"The name's Wes."

I hesitated for a second before smiling and grasping his hand.

"I'm Melanie."

He smiled crookedly again and stood up to help me up from the ground. "Enough with all of this sappy good-feeling stuff, you said you wanted to get to the next town?" he asked pointing at me with a raised eyebrow.

I pouted and looked up at the moon in the sky. "But, it's dark now. As much as I don't want to, I think it'd be best to set up camp, right?"

Wes threw his head back with a laugh.

"You kidding? Calden is a ten minute walk from here! We'll get there in no time!"

I let my jaw drop in happy surprise. "Seriously? That's great!" I smiled broadly and knelt down to pick Fen back up. "Looks like we'll get to Calden today after all!"

"Uee!"

I placed him back in my hood and adjusted my bag.

"You ready?" Wes asked with that crooked smile of his.

"Yep!"

"Then let's get going," he said with a wave of his hand, gesturing for me to follow as he took off in the direction we had come. I trailed behind him and stepped over the log I'd jumped over moments ago.

"So," Wes said nonchalantly from in front of me. "You're from Lontree?"

"Yeah, what about you?"

"Calden Town."

Well, at least I could be sure he knew how to get back to his own hometown. He looked back for a moment before shooting another question.

"Who's your friend there in your hood?"

I smiled and looked to Fen, scratching behind his ear. He smile contentedly and purred.

"This is Fen. My dad found him where he works and he and my mom let me keep him."

"He's an eevee, right? Don't see many of those now, do you?"

"Yeah, my dad was surprised that no one called in looking for him. I can't believe someone would just leave him out there," I said shaking my head in disappointment. "If I met this person I'd have a few things to say to them."

Wes laughed and shrugged. "Well, if they hadn't left him there then you two wouldn't be together, right? So, in a way, I guess you should thank them a little. Or at the very least pay no mind to the fact at all. What happen happens."

I nodded slowly, torn between my thoughts and the point he just made. Sure, I wouldn't have met Fen but, I still don't want trainers to be abandoning their pokémon. It's their job to take care of them, that's what being a trainer means.

I thought this over more when Fen licked my cheek, interrupting my train of thought. I laughed and pat him on the head.

"Yeah," I said giggling. "I guess I can thank them a _tiny _bit."

After that a peaceful silence settled between us as we finally emerged from the woods and back on the road. By this time the moon had rose higher in the sky and it wasn't hard to see at all. It was actually pretty with the moon casting a blue glow over everything.

We started walking up the route and I decided to voice the question that I had been meaning to ask.

"So, why was a swarm of beedrill chasing you anyway?"

Wes laughed nervously and scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, I got a little close to their nesting area without realizing it."

"What were you doing out near their nesting area in the first place?" I asked with a tilt of my head.

"Oh, I was working on these," he answered excitedly. He reached into a hidden inner-pocket within his jacket and pulled out a flexible leather-bound book that was small enough to be concealed but was still a reasonable size. "This is my sketchbook. I wanted to draw some wild pokemon in their natural habitat and didn't notice the kakuna hanging from the trees until it was too late," he said with an embarrassed chuckle. He whistled low and shook his head before adding, "And boy, were there a lot of those suckers."

"Can I see it?" I asked pointing to the book.

"Yeah, just be careful with it."

He handed me the brown book and I unwrapped the string binding it shut. I flipped it open to a random page and I was struck silent with awe. On the left page was a black and white sketching of a buizel in a pond. The air sac around its neck was inflated, allowing it to float with its head above water. The rest of its body was slightly distorted by the rippling waves. Its face was content and it appeared to be asleep. It looked like it could wake up at any second by how well it was drawn.

The sketch on the opposite facing page was of bright orange and yellow flames that ran along the cream-colored body of a grazing ponyta. The detail in the flames and grass was incredible; I wondered how long it took him to draw them.

When I asked he just shrugged and answered, "I don't know honestly. I don't really keep track when I'm drawing. Some of them aren't even done in one sitting so it'd be hard to tell."

"They're _really_ good," I said with a smile. I handed it back to him and added, "Like it-could-be-a-photo good."

"Thanks," he said with a laugh, tucking it back into his pocket. "Drawing is one of my favorite things to do. The only thing that tops it is being near the pokémon I'm drawing or just plain being around pokémon out here," he said gesturing at our surroundings with arms wide open. I smiled and he put his hands into his pants pockets with a slight shaking of his head. "Drawings can never compare to the real thing."

"Yours get pretty close to it though," I commented sincerely.

"You're giving me a lot of credit," he said with a smile. I shrugged and returned the smile. What could I say? I was telling the truth. "It's just a hobby though. Keeps me happy," he finished with his crooked smile. That was beginning to become a thing of his. I nodded and he glanced at me sideways and raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, my turn for a question."

"We're taking turns now?"

"Yep, and it's currently mine," he said poking his chest. "You mentioned a pokémon journey before, right? Does that mean you're taking the gym challenge?"

"That's technically two questions," I teased.

"Same difference," he said waving his hand. "Just answer that last one then. You out to collect badges?"

I shrugged and thought that over genuinely. "I didn't really think into that. I was just going to see where everything fell as I went along. Just traveling around the region is good enough a plan as any for me right now."

Fen raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Seriously? Usually trainers are looking for earning those eight badges right off the bat and taking on the Elite Four. You're not considering it at all?"

"I've considered it. I just want to see what happens first. I'm keeping my options open, you know?" I replied with a smile. He nodded and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Indeed, indeed," he said with an air of mock fanciness. I rolled my eyes and shook my head with a smile.

"And may I ask what _you_ plan on doing?"

"What do you mean?" he asked lacing his fingers behind his head causally.

"Well, you don't look much older than me so I guess my real question is why aren't _you_ taking on the Elite Four?"

"Oh, that's because I'm studying to become a professor," he said beaming proudly. Wasn't Professor Willow from Calden? Maybe Wes was studying under him. I decided to ask and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Yep, when I'm older I'm going to run the lab just like he is now."

Confident, wasn't he? I smiled with a slight tilt of my head.

"Well, I think you'd make a great professor."

"Tell me something I don't know," he said with a roll of his eyes. Maybe he was a little too confident. I raised an eyebrow as a smile broke across his face. He gently nudged my arm and laughed.

"Aw, come on, I was kidding. I honestly hope I'll run the lab half as smoothly as he does," he said his mood sobering a bit.

"Well, you're studying under him, right? I'm sure if he's teaching you you'll do fine," I said. I didn't know much about him but, he saved me twice and he seemed proud to say he was studying to become a professor. Having a heart for something was the first step to success. I smiled as I thought that little on-the-spot phrase of mine over.

As long as I had heart, it didn't matter what I choose to do on my journey, really. I just had to do my best and love what I was doing. My mood was lighter after that and I was about to share my bit of encouragement with Wes when he suddenly exclaimed and pointed ahead with a grin.

"Look! There's the entrance to Calden up there!"

I focused my attention straight ahead and squinted to look into the distance. The moon provided just enough light for me to see a large wooden arch at the end of Route 1 with the words 'Calden Town' etched boldly into the wood. The roofs of country-style houses poked over the tress hugging close to the rural town and it was then that I noticed we were suddenly surrounded by woods. I couldn't believe I didn't realize how much the scenery had changed just on Route 1. The trees around Lontree were sparse, dotted here and there in the surrounding fields and in yards but, they usually grew far in the distance at the base of the hills. That was probably where Lontree got its name in the first place.

I turned to Fen with a broad grin and scratched his chin.

"Hey, Fen, we made it," I whispered excitedly. "Don't you want to check it out?"

He had fallen back asleep in the time it took to walk from the woods and he slowly opened his eyes and yawned before stretching slightly. He looked up ahead and smiled.

"Ueeee Uee," he purred still a bit groggy.

Wes chuckled and smiled at Fen. "Still sleepy, huh?"

"Yeah, guess so," I said with a smile, turning back toward the approaching town.

I made it. I finally made it to the first town, the first leg of my journey. A new kind of excitement grew in my stomach then. It wasn't as energy filled as before but, it was definitely excitement.

I yawned and couldn't help but giggle. Maybe that was why my excitement was a bit diluted. I guess the thought of finally getting to the town and not walking anymore settled into me and suddenly made me a tad bit sleepy.

Wes looked over as I bit off my yawn, trying to make it go unnoticed, and raised an eyebrow in question.

"So, you know where you're staying?"

I frowned at the thought. I didn't think I'd be arriving at night, I thought I would have had more time to find somewhere to stay. "No idea," I said with a sleepy shrug.

"Well, jeez, you're really tired aren't you?"

"Not really," I said with another yawn.

"Well, I can't just let you wander around trying to find a place to sleep when you're already half-asleep," he said putting his hands on his hips. "Why don't you stay at my dad's for the night? We have a spare room and I know my dad won't mind. It's the least I can do after today."

I thought this over, weighing the pros and cons. As much as sleeping at a stranger's house sounded like the worst idea, Wes didn't feel like a stranger anymore. Not only because I got to know him a bit more but, he just felt comfortable to be around. I know the pokémon center offers overnight stays but, how could I pass up a real bed in a real house? Wes was nice too and he _was_ offering.

It might've just been my sleepiness talking but, I nodded and rubbed at my already drooping eyes.

"Yeah, that would be nice, thanks."

"It's no problem. Like I said, it's the least I can do," he said with a smile. "Come on," he said walking a bit faster and ushering for me to do the same, "my house isn't too far but, I don't want you to be collapsing from sleep deprivation right in the middle of town."

We finally arrived at the wooden arch and walked into the town, the warm glow of lights from houses our only light as clouds drifted to cover the moon over the sleeping town of Calden.

* * *

**Yay! new character! Yay!**

**While we're on that subject, remember those OCs you readers graciously submitted? Well, the first one will be introduced next chapter! I'm hoping to incorporate another submitted OC aside from the one I have planned (won't say who they are :x my lips are sealed!) in the next chapter but, I haven't started it yet so we'll see! Definitely guaranteed there will be the introduction of at least one OC though!**

**And if there were ANY mistakes in here at all don't hesitate to review it because like I said, this is unbetadededed as of now and I might have missed something reading it over :p**

**Until next time! Have a wonderful word filled day! :D**


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